The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating around 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to sudden engine stalls and frequent failure to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported issues with 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUV vehicles, citing electrical concerns causing engine shutdowns with intermittent restart capabilities.
The Office of Defects Investigation received 80 consumer complaints about these engine stalls and power losses in Stellanis-manufactured vehicles, specifically those equipped with Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, “Many of the complaints state that the vehicle’s engine would shut off, often while traveling at slow speed, the vehicle would shift into park and apply the emergency brake.”
No injuries have been reported due to this issue, and the NHTSA has launched a preliminary investigation that could potentially lead to a recall. Stellanis has stated it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to recent challenges for Stellanis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram saw declining sales in the second quarter. Additionally, earlier this month, the government initiated a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. In June, Stellanis recalled over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software bug that could increase crash risks.